Drive means for positive yarn feeding devices mounted on a circular knitting machine

ABSTRACT

Drive means for positive yarn feeding devices mounted on a circular knitting machine. The positive feeding devices are mounted on the knitting machine with their rotating elements each being adapted for rotation about a vertical axis and with all the rotating elements being at the same elevation so as to be driven by a single endless tape adapted to travel in a horizontal path. The endless tape is driven by a drive pulley which is vertically mounted on the knitting machine, below the positive feeding devices, for rotation about a horizontal axis in predetermined relation to the rotational speed of the knitting machine. The drive pulley is thus easily accessible for adjustment and idler means mounted on the knitting machine guide the tape from the pulley to the horizontal path for drivingly engaging the rotating elements of the positive feeding devices.

United States Patent 1191 Seibold [111 3,854,307 [451 Dec. 17, 1974 [75]lnventor: John Seibold, Ronkonkoma, NY.

[73] Assignee: Wesco Industries C0rp., Plainview,

22 Filed: Apr. 16, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 351,567

52 us. or. 66/132 T, 242/4701 4/1967 Great Britain 66/132 T FROM YARNSUPPLY TO KNITTING NEEDLES Primary ExaminerW. C. Reynolds AssistantExaminer-A. M. Falik Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Henry R. Lerner 5 7ABSTRACT Drive means for positive yarn feeding devices mounted on acircular knitting machine. The positive feeding devices are mounted onthe knitting machine with their rotating elements each being adapted forrotation about a vertical axis and with all the rotating elements beingat the same elevation so as to be driven by a single endless tapeadapted to travel in a horizontal path. The endless tape is driven by adrive pulley which is vertically mounted on the knitting machine, belowthe positive feeding devices, for rotation about a horizontal axis inpredetermined relation to the rotational speed of the knitting machine.The drive pulley is thus easily accessible for adjustment and idlermeans mounted onqthe knitting machine guide the tape from the pulley tothe horizontal path for drivingly engaging the' rotating elements of thepositive feeding devices. I

PATENTEU 7 I974 3. 854.307

saw 2 OF' 2 FIG. 2. l

DRIVE MEANS FOR POSITIVE YARN FEEDING DEVICES MOUNTED. ON A CIRCULARKNITTING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention vThis invention relates to positive yarn feeding devices used on knittingmachines and, particularly, to means for driving said positive feedingdevices in predetermined relation to the rotational speed of theassociated knitting machine.

2. Description of the Prior Art Positive feeding devices have been inuse for a substantial period of time in association with knittinginachines for the purposeof positively delivering to the knittingneedles the .exact yarn requirement. An example of a commonly usedpositive feeding device is shownin U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,215 in'which theyarn is passed between a roller, and a tape, with the latter beingpositively driven at'a-preselected rate bearing the predeterminedrelation to the speed of the knitting machine. v

Another example of a positive feeding device is shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,709,444 wherein a plurality of ing devices and mounted in theconventional manner is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,091.

SUMMARY OFYTHE INVENTION The present invention overcomes thedeficiencies of cessible to the knitting machine operator for adjustyarnwindings are formed about a drum or feed wheel a the knitting machineneedles at the desired predetermined rate. A further example of apositive feeding device isshown in US. Pat. No. 3,720,384 wherein, in amanner similar to that shown in Pat. No. 3,709,444, the yarn wound aboutthe drum may be withdrawn tangentially at a rate determined by therotationalspeed of the storage drum, for positive feeding, but whichyarn may also be alternately withdrawn'endwise of the storage drum atarate determined soleby the demand of the knitting needles. I I

Regardless of the-type of-positive feeding device uti-' liz'ed, thecommon requirement for all such positive feeding devices is that they bedriven at a speed which is directly related to or proportional to therotational speed of the knitting machine.

Under conventional knitting machine arrangement, all the positivefeeding devices are mounted on the knitting machine so that. therotating elements of the positive feeding devices, whether they berotating feed wheels or winding elements for winding the yarn aboutstationary feed wheels, are mounted for rotation about a vertical axis.Further, under conventional knitting machine arrangement, all therotating elements of the positive feeding devices are adapted to bedriven by a tape or belt which is itself driven by a driving pulley.Accordingly, the tape or belt travels in a horizontal plane in whichplane the driving pulley is also mounted for rotation about a verticalaxis. Such arrangement, as shown in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,215 locatesthe driving pulley in a horizontal plane which is usually high up on theknitting machine where it is accessible only with great difficulty. Suchaccessibility is of great importance since the driving pulley usuallyassociated with positive feeding devices is of the type whose operativement of the effective diameter of the pulley when such is required.Toward such end, while the positive feeding devices are still mounted onthe knitting machine 'inthe same location as in conventionalarrangements,

the pulley for driving the tape or belt is no longer mounted,in thehorizontal plane in which such tape travels for driving the positivefeeding devices but is mounted insteadin a verticalplane.for rotationabout a horizontal axis and'is mechanically linked to the knitv tingmachine drive means so that the rotation speed of the pulley is directlyrelated, as required, to the rota tional speedof the knitting machine.By getting away from mounting the pulley in the plane of travel of thewith-the pulley and suitable idlers are provided for changing thedirectional path of travel of the tape so that the latter travels in therequisitelhorizontal plane for driving engagement with the positivefeeding devicesmounted on the knitting machin'e,.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of thedrivemeans in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 22- of FIG. 1', and

FIG. 3 is a view taken alo g line 3-3 of'FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED v EMBODIMENTS Referring now to thedrawings, there is shown a conventional knitting machine 10 whichincludes the usual vertical posts 12 (only one of which is shown) andannular support member 14 conventionally supported by means of radialarms (not' shown) extending from vertical posts 12. Examples of supportrings conventionally mounted by radial arms on knitting machines areshown in U.S.Pat. Nos. 3,001,389 and 3,132,495. Feeding device l6, i'ssupported by .ring 14 and comprises a drum 18 adapted to be driven bytape or belt 20 which drivingly engages drum rotating element 22 of thefeeding device. Yarn Y originating from a yarn supply is woundtangentially about drum 18 to form a plurality of .windingson the drum.A yarn control element, such as a hook 24, causes the yarn to bewithdrawn at a rate corresponding to the angular velocity of rotatingelement 22 which is, in turn, set bythe linear velocity of the tape 20.It isseen, therefore, that feeding device 16 operates in effect as apositive feeding device similar to one of the types previouslydescribed. It will be understood that in a conventional knitting machinea plurality of such feeding devices are mounted on circular support ring14 with rotating elements 22 of only two such devices being shown schevmatically in FIG. 2. It will also be noted that in the particularembodiment shown, tape is perforated at regularly spaced intervals tocooperate with similarly arranged projections on rotating element 22 forpositive engagement of the tape with such rotating element, although itwill be understood that a non-perforated tape could similarly be usedand is in fact more desirable when the positive feeding device is of thetype shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,215 wherein positive feeding of theyarn is accomplished by passing the yarn between the tape an therotating element. In all cases, however, the positive feeding devicesare mounted, as previously described, so that the driving tape travelsin a horizontal plane, such tape being driven by the relativelyinaccessible driving pulley mounted in the same plane. Since the tape isof finite, though relatively narrow width, reference herein tohorizontal plane of tape travel is intended to identify the spaceextending between the horizontal planesdefinedby the opposite edges ofthe tape.

In accordance with the invention, and as best illustrated in FIG. 1, thedriving pulley 26 is mounted vertically for rotation about a horizontalaxis by means of its securement to horizontally extending shaft 28 whoseelevation is selectedso that the driving pulley 26 is readily accessibleto the operator. A lower support bracket 30 suitably'secured to theknitting machine, as for example to vertical post 12 by conventionalmeans carries a vertical shaft 32 whose lower end projects outwardly ofbracket 30 and terminates in a sprocket wheel 34 adapted to be driven bya sprocket chain 36 which is itself driven by a sprocket wheel 38mounted for rotation in unison with the existing machine drive shaft 40projecting upwardly of the knitting machine dial gear housing. Lowerbracket 30 supports a housing 7 42 in which the upper end ofverticalshaft 32 extends terminating in bevel gear 44. Drive shaft 28 ofpulley 26 also extends into housing 42 where it terminates in bevelgear'46 in engagement with bevel gear 44. With this arrangement, it willbe evident that the speed of rotation of pulley 26 is directly relatedto the rotational speed of the knitting machine. In this connection, itwill be apparent that the specific relation between-the angular velocityof drive shaft 28 and that of the knitting machine drive shaft 40 isdetermined as required, by selecting the appropriate parameters for thesprocket wheels and bevel gears.

Pulley 26 constitutes, as previously described, the

drive means for tape 20 and, as shown in the figures,

board idlers 60 are mounted for rotation about a vertical axis. As bestshown in FiGS. 1 and 2, the tape 20, as it leaves its engagement withdriving pulley '26, engages, in sequence, idlers 48, 58, and 60, suchidlers collectively twisting the tape in two stages of 90 each wherebythe tape emerges from outboard idler 60 for travel in a plane whichcoincides with the horizontal plane in which it engages rotating element22 which .drives the positive feeding device. As shown in the drawings,a pair of tape tensioning rollers 62 are mounted on a bracket 64adjustably supported by rod 56 for imparting the requisite tension tothe tape. By loosening knob 66 bracket 64 may be adjusted inwardly oroutwardly on rod 56 to accommodate any deliver the driving tape fortravel in the requisite horizontal plane for driving the positivefeeding devices mounted on the knitting machine in their conventionaland received by the two positive feeding devices imme-' diately adjacentsupport rod 56, such tape is capable of driving all other positivefeeding devices mounted on the same support ring 14 in conventionalfashion with- V out undergoing any further change in the plane ofcarries a radially extending idler supporting rod 56, the

latter supporting a pair of inboard idlers 58 and outboard idlers 60.Idlers 58 are mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis transverse tothe horizontal axis (radially extending) of pulley 26 and idlers 48 andouttravel.

In accordance with the construction as described hereabove, it isevident that there has been provided novel means for mounting a drivepulley which is used for driving a tape which,in turn, is capable. ofdriving positive feeding devices at a velocity having a preselectedrelationship to the rotational speed of the knitting machine. Such novelmounting means locates the drive pulley, which requires frequentattention, at a location readily accessible to the. operator,withouthowever interfering with the normal mounting and location of thepositive feeding devices on the knitting machine.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it will be' understood that the invention may beembodied'otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described,and

that in the illustrated embodiment certain changes in the details ofconstruction and in the form and arrangement of parts may be madewithout departing from the underlying idea or principles of thisinvention within the scope of the appended claims. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byletters patent is:

1. In a circular knitting machine equipped with a plurality of positiveyarn feeding devices, each having a rotating element mounted forrotation about a vertical axis and said rotating elements being mountedat the 7 same elevation whereby to be driven by a single endless tapeadapted to travel in a horizontal path for drivingly engaging saidrotating elements, means for driving said tape at a speed having apredetermined relation to the rotational speed of the knitting machine,comprising a. a pulley adapted to drive said tape,

b. means mounting said pulley onto said knlitting machine for rotationabout a horizontal axis disposed below the elevation of said rotatingelements whereby the tape travels vertically as it enters into anddeparts from its engagement with said pulley,

c. shaft means operatively related to said knittingmachine drive meansfor driving said pulley at a speed proportional to the rotational speedof said knitting machine, and

d. idler means supported by said knitting machine for guiding said tapefrom said pulley to said horizontal path for drivingly engaging therotating elements of said positive feeding device.

2. The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said idler meanscomprise three sets of idler pairs operative to effectuate two separate90 twists of said tape.

3. The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said knittingmachine includes vertical support rods, and wherein there is furtherprovided spaced upper and lower support brackets mounted on one of 7said support rods, said lower support bracket defining the means forsupporting said pulley and shaft on said knitting machine.

4. The improvement in accordance with claim 3, wherein said idler meanscomprise three sets of idler pairs operative'to effectuate two separatetwists of said tape.

5. The improvement in accordance with claim 4, wherein verticallyextending idler support means are secured between said upper and lowersupport brackets for mounting one of said sets of idler pairs above saidpulley and in close proximity thereto.

6. The improvement in accordance with claim 5, wherein said uppersupport bracket supports a radially extending idler support rod whichcarries the other two sets of idler pairs, said idler support rod beingat an elevation above the elevation of said rotating elements,

7. The improvement in accordance with claim 3, wherein a gear housing iscarried by said lower support bracket, said gear housing including apair of meshing bevel gears one of which is secured to said pulley shaftmeans and the other of which is secured to a shaft adapted to be rotatedby means mechanically linked to the knitting machine drive, whereby'said pulley is driven at a rotationalspeed proportional to that of theknitting machine.

8. The improvement in accordance with claim 6, wherein a gear housing iscarried by said lower support bracket, said gear housingincluding a pairof meshing bevel gears one of which is secured to said pulley shaftmeansand the other of which is secured to a shaft adapted to be rotated bymeans mechanically linked to the knitting machine drive, whereby saidpulley is driven at a rotational speed proportional to that of theknitting machine.

1. In a circular knitting machine equipped with a plurality of positiveyarn feeding devices, each having a rotating element mounted forrotation about a vertical axis and said rotating elements being mountedat the same elevation whereby to be driven by a single endless tapeadapted to travel in a horizontal path for drivingly engaging saidrotating elements, means for driving said tape at a speed having apredetermined relation to the rotational speed of the knitting machine,comprising a. a pulley adapted to drive said tape, b. means mountingsaid pulley onto said kn1itting machine for rotation about a horizontalaxis disposed below the elevation of said rotating elements whereby thetape travels vertically as it enters into and departs from itsengagement with said pulley, c. shaft means operatively related to saidknitting machine drive means for driving said pulley at a speedproportional to the rotational speed of said knitting machine, and d.idler means supported by said knitting machine for guiding said tapefrom said pulley to said horizontal path for drivingly engaging therotating elements of said positive feeding device.
 2. The improvement inaccordance with claim 1, wherein said idler means comprise three sets ofidler pairs Operative to effectuate two separate 90* twists of saidtape.
 3. The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein saidknitting machine includes vertical support rods, and wherein there isfurther provided spaced upper and lower support brackets mounted on oneof said support rods, said lower support bracket defining the means forsupporting said pulley and shaft on said knitting machine.
 4. Theimprovement in accordance with claim 3, wherein said idler meanscomprise three sets of idler pairs operative to effectuate two separate90* twists of said tape.
 5. The improvement in accordance with claim 4,wherein vertically extending idler support means are secured betweensaid upper and lower support brackets for mounting one of said sets ofidler pairs above said pulley and in close proximity thereto.
 6. Theimprovement in accordance with claim 5, wherein said upper supportbracket supports a radially extending idler support rod which carriesthe other two sets of idler pairs, said idler support rod being at anelevation above the elevation of said rotating elements.
 7. Theimprovement in accordance with claim 3, wherein a gear housing iscarried by said lower support bracket, said gear housing including apair of meshing bevel gears one of which is secured to said pulley shaftmeans and the other of which is secured to a shaft adapted to be rotatedby means mechanically linked to the knitting machine drive, whereby saidpulley is driven at a rotational speed proportional to that of theknitting machine.
 8. The improvement in accordance with claim 6, whereina gear housing is carried by said lower support bracket, said gearhousing including a pair of meshing bevel gears one of which is securedto said pulley shaft means and the other of which is secured to a shaftadapted to be rotated by means mechanically linked to the knittingmachine drive, whereby said pulley is driven at a rotational speedproportional to that of the knitting machine.